The Wasp, 1913 · page 20 of 364
The Wasp — 1913 — page 20: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page appears to be a narrative excerpt rather than a cartoon. It depicts a dialogue between William Stow and Burnham regarding Burnham's fate. Stow threatens him with transportation to colonial plantations as punishment for an unspecified offense, where he'd face brutal treatment under overseers' whips. Burnham initially despairs, but Stow then offers him redemption: passage aboard "The Lass o' London" under Captain Hobkirk, with money and instructions from "Sir Walter" to outfit him for a voyage. The satire likely mocks either redemption narratives or colonial labor practices of the period. Without knowing the full serial context, the specific political targets—whether individual figures or systemic critique—remain unclear. The reference to "Sir Walter" suggests a notable contemporary figure, but cannot be confirmed from this excerpt alone.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
THE WASP 19 unmoved. “It’s what would happen to ye were ye my son—which Heaven forbid! To the planta- tions ye’d go, like any common thief or slit-purse. ‘ Aye, ye would—an’ rot of fever under the whips o’ the drivers!” . Hope awoke again in Burnham’s breast, for it “was evident from Stow’s words and manner that his fate was not to be so severe as the steward would like to see it. A little color returned to his cheeks and his insolent eyes danced. He laughed sharply. “Bravely spoken!” he sneered. “And now will you be so good as to deliver me your master’s mes- sage? I’ll swear he didn’t send you up to London to air your private opinions of morality.” “The Lass o’ London, Captain Hobkirk, sails to- morrow,” replied William Stow. “I’ve been aboard — her already and done yer father’s business with Master Hobkirk. And now I'll take ye aboard, as soon as we buy yer outfit for the voyage. Here’s twenty guineas for that same outfit, and a letter of instructions to ye from Sir Walter. But hark ye, Comichooks.com